Thanksgiving

There's nothing like a holiday to turn thoughts to home. This is particularly true for me this year. We realize how privileged we are to be on such an assignment and we are grateful for so many things; for our health and that of our families', for the prosperity that allows us to come here, for the political stability in America that allows citizens to disagree in safety, for each other. As you know the politics of this region are complicated. My wife, as one of the only Americans some of these people will ever meet, gets asked a lot of questions about our country. Because Terry is approachable, people feel comfortable telling her their views of the USA and it can be overwhelming. Fortunately, my wife's week ended on a nice note. On Wednesday we went to the Binational Jordanian-American Commission (Fulbright) for a Thanksgiving celebration. There were about 50 people and it was great to catch up with friends. On Thursday we were invited to the home of US diplomats for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We have been far from home before, and we've worked through holidays before, but in this day and time in history, and after this week in particular, it was a great comfort to be with Americans. The day ended with a "skype" visit from my family in Florida then from our daughter and her family (including her wonderful in-laws) in California. I want to tell you, family and friends, how thankful we are for you. The hundreds of supportive emails you've sent while we are so far from home, the news you share, the prayers you send, keep us going. Happy Thanksgiving.

Bosphorus Strait

The Bosphorus Strait is the narrow water passage dividing Europe from Asia, similar to how the Panama Canal connects the Atlantic to the Pacific, but the Bosphorous is not man-made. We had a great cruise that began after the hotel breakfast (European and Turkish foods; delicious breads and grilled vegetables, homemade jams, local cheeses, several types of olives and fish and meats). Before we boarded the boat for the cruise we toured the Rustempasha mosque, built in 1560, and covered in famous Iznik tiles. On a cultural note, we learned that tulips, indigenous to Turkey, are the symbol of Islam here because in Arabic the word for God, Allah, forms the pattern of a tulip. And, speaking of Allah, we were gifted with an English language Koran. We then made our way past the freely roaming tagged dogs (tags prove spaying and shots) and entered the famed Spice Bazaar. The stalls displayed colorful pyramids of freshly ground spices, very exotic and fragrant. I really liked walking around, sampling candy and drinking pomegranate tea. When we exited the bazaar my wife noticed a man and his wives who appeared to be wearing the headdress of Jordan. She greeted them in Arabic and they lit up and all started talking at once, a regular family reunion, except they were Syrian refugees, not from Jordan. After heartfelt good-byes we were driven to the boat. This was our first organized tour group but it was small and intimate and guided by a young Turkish woman who confided to my wife she felt unsure of her English (Terry quickly reassured her). The Bosphorous connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea so you can imagine its strategic significance. Roughly one mile wide, it is the only warm water access to the high seas for several Black Sea nations, notably Russia. Both sides have broad hills that slope down to the water. The hilly topography provided good views of the Dolmabahce Palace, the Beylerbeyi Palace, and the Ciragan Palce, which reminded us of Russia's St. Petersburg. We drove through Ortakoy, then saw it from the cruise, an area home to Turks, Jews, Greeks and Armenians. There were religious structures of every stripe. We cruised passed the Rumeli Fortress, built in 1452 by Sultan Mehmet II, the largest and most impenetrable of the Middle Ages fortresses, and it looked it, dominating the Strait. The huge fortress was a real contrast to the modern architecture around it (and very dramatic). Tomorrow we return "home" to Jordan where Terry has very busy weeks ahead. In addition to teaching at the University of Jordan, she will lecture throughout Jordan's universities and high schools in honor of International Education Week.

Sultanahmet (Turkey)

Today was a day to tour Sultanahmet, the ancient heart of Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire. We saw the pillar erected by the Romans to mark the center of the city from which mileposts were measured (mille passuum). The city was named Constantinople (for Roman Emperor Constantine the Great) until 1453 when it was conquered by Muslim forces. Our guide's name was Ghenghis. He proudly informed us his son's name is Khan. He began by showing us a large map of Turkey which reminded us of how many ancient sites are here, from Troy to Thrace to Ephesus to Cappadocia. Only three per cent of Turkey is in Europe which ends at the Bosphorus Strait in the middle of Istanbul. The first stop on today's walking tour was the sprawling Topaki Palace complex, home of the Sultans. Just inside the palace walls was a large fourth century church. After the conquest of 1453 AD most churches in this area were converted to mosques. This one, however, was converted into an arsenal instead because in Islamic tradition all are equal before God and mosques are open to all. This would have posed an unacceptable security risk to the Sultan. His security was a recurring theme today for good reason. Palace intrigue and violent death were commonplace. Messengers from foreign lands brought into the Sultan's presence were required to lower their eyes and were restrained on each side by palace guards. If the Sultan didn't like the message the messenger was beheaded and his head returned to sender, preserved in a jar of honey. To this day Turks have a saying that a recipient of bad news "received the honey jar." The Sultan had over 300 concubines and 100 children. Fratricide was common as sons competed to become the next Sultan. Next stop was the Hagia Sophia, a third century church rebuilt twice into an enormous domed cathedral, turned mosque, turned museum. Its current iteration dates from the 1400s AD. Since Islam prohibits depiction of the human form as a guard against idol worship, we are fortunate that the mosaics depicting Jesus, Mary, and the Saints were merely plastered over rather than destroyed, thus preserving them. Then we were on to the underground cistern made (more) famous by a scene in Dan Brown's book "Inferno." Lost for centuries and rediscovered in the early 1960s by a curious British tourist poking around who stumbled upon it, this has become a major tourist attraction, made more so by the book. A movie version of the book was filmed here and is due out next year.

Then we went across the street to the Blue Mosque, the seventeenth largest mosque in the world. It's exterior is strikingly beautiful and dominates its surroundings. Upon going inside Terry received a light blue head covering as a loaner, we all took off our shoes of course, then marveled at the interior. We learned the patterned carpet is a guide to worshippers as they know where to place first their feet, then knees, hands, and forehead all according to the pattern. After the Blue Mosque we had lunch at a local restaurant serving traditional Turkish fare of grilled vegetables and meats/fish. This part of Istanbul has a very cosmopolitan feel. It is a cafe culture with diners spilling out of restaurants to streetside tables, similar to Paris. The foods displayed everywhere were colorful and showed a big city sophistication, not surprising for a city of over 14 million. Finally we were off to the Grand Bazaar which boasts being the world's oldest and largest market dating from 1453 AD with over 4,000 stalls. As expected in such a place the merchants (all men) were quite energetic in asking us to come into their stalls. Terry needed some leather gloves and our guide told us to haggle, a skill seldom used by Americans, but we were game. The merchant's opening price was 120 Turkish lira (around $40). After some back and forth Terry headed for the exit. That did the trick and the purchase price was 50 Turkish lira (around $15), not bad for black leather gloves. By this time we had parted company with Ghenghis so we walked back to our hotel on a perfect sunny fall day having gotten our excercise by walking for six hours in one of the most amazing cities I have ever seen. We stopped in a pastry shop we couldn't resist and bought a sweet resembling baklava on steroids filled with pistachios and honey. We made it back in time for afternoon tea which made my wife very happy.

University of Istanbul (Turkey)

Well faithful readers, it's been eleven days since my last post. Our time was filled with activities that now pass as routine. Terry's Fulbright duties include teaching graduate students at the university. But going above and beyond she uses her "off" time to lecture at universities and high schools all over Jordan on behalf of the US Embassy. She also gave a writing workshop for university students, attended committee meetings, and provided career counseling to students from all over the university who heard her background and sought her out. She edited faculty research and doctoral students' dissertations (that they write such complex things in English is very impressive), and helped a military colonel with a paper. And in the little time left we were guests (lunches and dinners) of her generous colleagues.

Yesterday we flew to Istanbul, Turkey, because (as I wrote in a previous post) Fulbright encourages scholars to lecture throughout the region. After we landed in Turkey I had the same sensation as when we lived in Alaska and visited Hawaii in the winter: It was nice to see greenery again. We are staying in Istanbul's historic district and had a "hotel orientation" by an enthusiastic young man named Ufuk (no kidding). I've grown so used to using Arabic words I kept saying "shukran" and "afwan" ("thank you" and "you're welcome" in Arabic), despite the fact that Arabic isn't spoken in Turkey! I'm guessing it will be some time before I stop including Arabic words in my speech. Young Ufuk told us he lives across the Bosphorus Strait, which means he goes from Asia to Europe, and back again, for work every day. After an elaborate tea at the hotel, and trust me, Turkey lives up to its reputation as a foodie paradise, we walked the cobbled, narrow (and clean) streets of the old town (a UNESCO world heritage site). Each block is more colorful than the last. The skyline is dominated by the enormous Blue Mosque. The bazaar we entered had high end Turkish products such as leather goods, hand woven rugs, ceramics, antique jewelry, and Turkish delight, the famous jellied candy.

This morning a doctoral student from the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing at the University of Istanbul brought us to the university for Terry's lecture. The reason a Turkish school is named after a British subject is because Florence Nightingale, known as the founder of modern nursing, came to prominence in 1854 during the Crimean War and British war casualties were brought to Istanbul, so it was here she did her work. We were greeted by members of the school's international committee and given a tour. It is the largest nursing school in Turkey with over 2,000 students. At one point someone mentioned my wife would be speaking to students who knew no English. While I thought the pucker factor on that was pretty high Terry took it in stride (she told me later that happened before in Cambodia). It turns out they understood her just fine. It seems obligatory for schools and students to modestly downplay their English skills when there is really no need. Before the lecture we were treated to Turkish coffee, for those who don't know a very thick coffee one drinks down to the grounds. Then we were treated to a local custom, the reading of fortunes in the coffee grounds. Among the many good things about to happen to us, it turns out we are going to enjoy a family celebration so happy we will all "hold hands and dance." We were pleased to receive positive fortunes (Whew!!). The lecture went well and Terry was very well received as always. Afterward the students and faculty gathered around for photos and Terry was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a handcrafted wooden box filled with, you guessed it, Turkish delight.